1. Technical Field
The embodiments described herein relate generally to audio/visual (A/V) systems and, more particularly, to a system for wirelessly transferring media files (audio and/or video files) and media descriptive data between an audio/visual system, such as an automobile audio/visual system or a home entertainment system, and a handheld electronic device and for wirelessly controlling the operation of the audio/visual system from the handheld electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous types of handheld electronic devices are known. Examples of such handheld electronic devices include, for instance, personal data assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, two-way pagers, cellular telephones, and the like. Such handheld electronic devices are generally intended to be portable and thus are relatively small. Examples of handheld electronic devices are included in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,452,588 and 6,489,950.
Many handheld electronic devices include and provide access to a wide range of integrated applications, including, without limitation, email, telephone, short message service (SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS), browser, calendar and address book applications, such that a user can easily manage information and communications from a single, integrated device. These applications are typically selectively accessible and executable through a user interface that allows a user to easily navigate among and within these applications.
In addition, handheld electronic devices often include short-range communications functionality that enables the handheld electronic device to communicate wirelessly over a short-range wireless network with other similarly equipped mobile and stationary electronic devices. For example, many handheld electronic devices include a BLUETOOTH® communications module for enabling the handheld electronic device to communicate with other BLUETOOTH® enabled mobile or stationary electronic devices over a BLUETOOTH® short-range wireless network.
As is known in the art, BLUETOOTH® is a wireless technology standard developed by a “Special Interest Group” comprised of members of the telecommunications, computing, and networking industries that allows mobile and stationary electronic devices to communicate with each other over short distances (typically less than 30 feet). BLUETOOTH® uses radio frequency (RF) waves in the 2.4 Gigahertz range, and is designed to be a secure and inexpensive way of connecting between devices without wires. BLUETOOTH® requires that each device be equipped with a BLUETOOTH® communications element, such as the STLC2500 chip sold by STMicroelectronics of Geneva, Switzerland, which includes an RF transceiver element for sending and receiving information according to the BLUETOOTH® standard.
When BLUETOOTH®-capable devices come within range of one another, the devices form an ad hoc network, called a piconet, which may fill a room or may encompass no more distance than that between a cell phone on a belt-clip and a headset on a person's head. Once a piconet is established, the members (which may range from two to eight devices) randomly hop frequencies in unison so they stay in touch with one another and avoid other piconets that may be operating in the same area.
Moreover, some known handheld electronic devices enable the user thereof to store digital media files on the device, such as music or other audio files stored in the well known MP3 format or video files stored in the well known MPEG format (as used herein, the term media file shall mean a digital audio or video file stored in a known or hereafter developed format; a video file may or may not include an audio component), so that the user can, as desired, access the media files and listen to and/or watch the content represented thereby. For example, a user may access a stored music file to listen to the music represented by the file using, for example, a set of headphones or loudspeakers operatively coupled to the handheld electronic device. Similarly, a user may access a stored video file to view and listen to the video content (which typically also includes an audio component) represented by the file using, for example, a display (such as an LCD) provided as part of the handheld electronic device or a set of headphones or loudspeakers operatively coupled to the handheld electronic device (a speaker provided as part of the handheld electronic device may also be used).
In addition, audio/visual systems, such as an audio/visual system provided in an automobile or a home entertainment system, capable of storing and playing digital media files, such as music files stored in an MP3 format or video files stored in an MPEG format, are well known. As used herein, the term audio/visual system shall refer to a system that is capable of performing either or both of audio and video content. Such audio/visual systems are typically controlled by a user interface provided as a part thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,110,755 and United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0278080 describe examples of known audio/visual systems that include the capability to receive downloads of music files from separate devices (e.g., using a BLUETOOTH® connection as described above) such as handheld electronic devices. In such audio/visual systems, once the music files are downloaded from the separate device, control of the function and operation of the audio system still must be performed through the user interface of the audio/visual system itself. As will be appreciated, this can, at times, be difficult and/or inconvenient, such as when the device from which music files have been downloaded and the user thereof are not located in close proximity to the user interface of the audio system. In addition, no current systems provide for the transfer of media descriptive data between a handheld electronic device and an audio/visual system to facilitate the creation a synchronized global view on the handheld electronic device and/or the audio/visual system of all of the media content that is currently stored on and/or available through both the handheld electronic device and the audio/visual system. As will be appreciated, such a synchronized global view would appealing and advantageous to a user of the handheld electronic device and the audio/visual system.